As the Cincinnati Bengals concluded their offseason program with mandatory minicamp this week, wide receiver Jermaine Burton showed up with a new, closely cropped haircut.
“I just knew it was time for a fresh start with me,” Burton told reporters in the locker room on Tuesday.
Burton is preparing for his second NFL season. As third-round draft pick from Alabama in 2024, Burton had a rookie season that featured being demoted three times to game-day inactive (once for missing a meeting and a walkthrough and again for a domestic incident involving the police), court action involving an eviction and four receptions.
“I learned a lot of things last year,” Burton said. “But, you know, you really got to be a professional in this league.”
Burton said the situation had caused him “sleepless nights,” but “it’s something that I moved on from and grew from.”
Burton’s solution for last year’s problems is “being consistent.”
“I feel like that’s the No. 1 thing no matter what you do in the professional job that you are doing,” Burton said. “I just feel like being consistent is the No. 1 thing, and I feel like that’s one thing I lacked last year.”
Developing a routine this offseason has been important to finding that consistency, Burton said.
“Coming up to the facility, doing different things on your off time,” Burton said, “whether it could be something little, but as long as you, I feel like, just continue to do something -- staying in the playbook, talking over things with your teammates, the coaches -- I feel like it just overall puts you in a better headspace. …
“I feel like I should just do everything that I can control. And that’s pretty much what I do on the field and off the field, so I’m just trying my best to be the best player I can be -- just coming up with better habits, better routines and just trying to stay consistent.”
Burton said he’s also more comfortable in 2025 than he was in 2024.
“I’ve created a lot of bonds,” Burton said, “relationships with these guys over the course of the offseason. Even coming back, you know, whether it’s going out to eat, chilling with them, playing a game, talking ball, in here laughing, joking, all rehabbing together. I feel like I’ve really got closer with the guys, and I feel like we have a lot of great things in store.”
In two seasons at Alabama, Burton had 79 receptions for 1,475 yards and 15 touchdowns and four rushing attempts for 50 yards. With the Bengals in 2024, Burton had four receptions for 107 yards and a 29.1-yard average on 13 kickoff returns.
The Bengals return from their summer break for the first practice of training camp on July 23. Cincinnati kicks off its three-game preseason schedule against the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 7.
“I’m really focused on this year,” Burton said, “focused on this team, focused on what I could do for them and focused on creating a better relationship with my guys, and that’s all I’m pretty much worried about. And I feel like things are going pretty good right now.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.